Charlotte Andrade Charged with Felony Homicide After Deadly Great Falls Shooting
GREAT FALLS, MT — A deadly early morning shooting has resulted in serious felony charges against 20-year-old Charlotte Andrade, who now faces one count of deliberate homicide and one count of attempted deliberate homicide following a chaotic and violent incident in Great Falls.
The Great Falls Police Department (GFPD) responded to a series of emergency calls beginning at 3:42 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, 2025, involving loud disturbances and later reports of gunfire at 1801 10th Avenue South. According to charging documents, a resident at Unit 11 first alerted dispatchers to people banging on his door. When officers arrived, they were unable to locate anyone suspicious.
Just over 20 minutes later, at 4:03 a.m., the same resident called back reporting the same disturbance. Simultaneously, a second 911 caller reported a shooting, claiming that two people had been hit—one shot in the arm, the other in the chest, who was lying on the ground outside the apartment building.
The Victims and Immediate Aftermath
Responding officers found Braden Walker inside Unit 14, suffering from a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. He was immediately evacuated and treated by EMS. Officers were then informed by two females inside the apartment that the second victim, Darien Bickel, was Walker’s friend and had collapsed outside after the gunfire. Tragically, Bickel, 23, was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to a local medical facility.
The two women also revealed that they had been on the porch of Unit 14 during the time of the incident, while Bickel and Walker walked around the area. Moments later, they heard three gunshots and saw both men running—Walker made it into the apartment and locked the door, while Bickel fell outside.
The witnesses were adamant that Charlotte Andrade was responsible, although none of them reported seeing her pull the trigger. However, they pointed to ongoing tension between Andrade and the initial caller, Takoda Bigknife, who had previously reported people banging on his door.
Ongoing Investigation Leads to Arrest
As the scene developed, officers detained two males from Unit 11 for questioning. Hours later, at 6:40 a.m., Charlotte Andrade emerged from Unit 11 along with another male, at which point she was taken into custody.
Through a series of interviews with the apartment’s four occupants, investigators gathered varying and often conflicting accounts of what had transpired. However, Andrade ultimately confessed to shooting at Walker and Bickel from the upstairs window of Unit 11. The firearm used was recovered hidden under the living room couch, as confirmed by several witnesses inside the unit.
Further complicating the case, some occupants claimed that at least one of the victims may have been armed, though this detail remains under investigation.
Andrade’s Troubled Past
This is not Andrade’s first brush with the law. In 2023, she was charged with accountability to deliberate homicide in the stabbing death of 51-year-old Tammey McWilliams near Chowen Springs Park. Andrade, who was 18 at the time, stood trial but was found not guilty by a jury in 2024.
Ironically, Darien Bickel, the deceased victim in this case, also had a criminal history. In 2022, he was charged with six counts of criminal endangerment after discharging a firearm at a building on 719 8th Street North. Though he had received a deferred sentence, an arrest warrant was issued in April 2025 for failing to comply with his probation terms.
Legal Proceedings Ahead
Charlotte Andrade now faces two of the most serious charges under Montana law. Deliberate homicide is a felony that, if convicted, could result in a life sentence. The attempted deliberate homicide charge for the wounding of Braden Walker also carries heavy penalties.
Authorities continue to pursue other leads and are attempting to determine if additional individuals were involved in or had knowledge of the shooting.
The Great Falls Police Department expressed deep concern over the violence and extended their thanks to the community for cooperation, and to multiple law enforcement agencies assisting with the case.
Anyone with further information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the GFPD Criminal Investigations Division.